Photo: Ferrari
Among other very expensive vintage cars that were sold at RM Sotheby’s “Driven by Disruption” auction was a 1956 Ferrari 290MM, chassis number 0626. The car was sold for the staggering sum of $28 million. We understand if you think the price is too high, but when you realize this particular car was built for Formula 1’s legend Juan Manuel Fangio, it makes a bit more sense.
The vehicle has been specifically designed for Fangio and is one of only four to have ever been built. The Master competed with this 290MM in the 1956 Mille Miglia, and after a thousand miles of dreadful conditions, he managed to finish 4th overall.
Although the car competed in many other tough races and was driven by other legendary drivers, such as Alfonso de Portago, Peter Collins, Phil Hill or Wolfgang von Trips, it was never crashed, so its condition is close to perfect.
The 1956 Ferrari 290MM chassis number 0626 is powered by a 3,490cc SOHC Type 130 dry-sump V12 engine with a power output of 320bhp. Other important specifications are the triple Weber twin-choke carburetors, twin spark plug ignition with quad Magneti-Marelli distributors, four-speed manual transmission or the independent front suspension with helical springs and anti-roll bar.
According to RM Sotheby’s, this 290MM was sold in 1957 to Temple Buell in New York by Luigi Chinetti. Buell, who was a close friend of Enzo Ferrari, repainted the car in blue and white and added it to his collection of other amazing Ferraris, which included the 750 Monza and 500 TR.
After being sold for a couple more times, the car was repainted red, and in 1970 it was acquired by world-renowned collector Pierre Bardion, remaining in his Mas du Clos Collection for 34 years before being bought by the present owner.
The estimate pre-sale of between 28 and 32 million dollars made the 290MM one of the most valuable cars to ever go under the hammer. We said “one of the” because the record holder is a Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta that sold in 2014 for no less than $38.1 million.
Although the car competed in many other tough races and was driven by other legendary drivers, such as Alfonso de Portago, Peter Collins, Phil Hill or Wolfgang von Trips, it was never crashed, so its condition is close to perfect.
The 1956 Ferrari 290MM chassis number 0626 is powered by a 3,490cc SOHC Type 130 dry-sump V12 engine with a power output of 320bhp. Other important specifications are the triple Weber twin-choke carburetors, twin spark plug ignition with quad Magneti-Marelli distributors, four-speed manual transmission or the independent front suspension with helical springs and anti-roll bar.
According to RM Sotheby’s, this 290MM was sold in 1957 to Temple Buell in New York by Luigi Chinetti. Buell, who was a close friend of Enzo Ferrari, repainted the car in blue and white and added it to his collection of other amazing Ferraris, which included the 750 Monza and 500 TR.
After being sold for a couple more times, the car was repainted red, and in 1970 it was acquired by world-renowned collector Pierre Bardion, remaining in his Mas du Clos Collection for 34 years before being bought by the present owner.
The estimate pre-sale of between 28 and 32 million dollars made the 290MM one of the most valuable cars to ever go under the hammer. We said “one of the” because the record holder is a Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta that sold in 2014 for no less than $38.1 million.
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